WOW!!!! $15k DEC PDP-8 CLASSIC MINICOMPUTER SYSTEM DIGITAL PDP8

[Patrick Finnegan]

Vintage Computer Festival declared on Tuesday 05 July 2005 12:15 am:
> On Mon, 4 Jul 2005, William Donzelli wrote:
> > > I am already shocked about the price being higher than $1000 !!!
> > > How should students like me be able to play with old computers if
> > > some people thing that these machines have the value of their
> > > weight in gold....!?!
> >
> > Get a Data General or an Interdata - they tend to be cheaper by a
> > good stretch.
> >
> > I was actually thinking about starting an informal pool on the
> > Straight-8 sale, but did not get around to it. When the next awesome
> > machine hits email, lets set one up.
> >
> > Anyone want to venture what a PDP-1 would fetch? S/360?
>
> $50K.

$1M!

Wait, are we supposed to give realistic numbers?

$50k for a -1 seems high but not totally unreasonable for a machine that 
is in excellent (running) condition, if it were sold through a 'real' 
auction house, like Christie's, under the best possible circumstances.

$50k for an S/360 does seem too high, though, because the S/360 has a 
lower 'collectability' (interest, and more of them were produced).  
Price on the S/360 would probably also follow what CPU model (among 
other factors).  A Model 30 would likely produce nowhere near as much 
interest as a Model 91, and peripherals would likely make a bigger 
difference with the S/360 than they would with the -1.  At best, I'd 
give a number in the $10k-$20k range for a relatively complete, working, 
and scratch-free S/360 setup (with the most desirable CPU and 
peripherals) under the 'best conditions'.

Bear in mind, I've never actually seen a S/360 setup sell anywhere and 
these are #s I've just pulled out of my ass. Your mileage may vary.

Pat
-- 
Purdue University ITAP/RCAC       --- http://www.rcac.purdue.edu/
The Computer Refuge               --- http://computer-refuge.org